Praia do Ouro became the key meeting point for European Stand Up Paddle this weekend as it hosted the final of the first edition of the European SUP League (ESL), an event organized by the Sesimbra Surf Club, the European Surf Federation, and the European SUP League. With nearly one hundred athletes from 10 countries, the Sesimbra SUP Festival wrapped up a decisive inaugural year for the international growth of the sport and marked the starting point for the 2026 season.
In addition to the official competitions —SUP Technical Race (Saturday) and SUP Marathon (Sunday)— the festival offered a wide public program, including Adaptive SUP, try-out sessions, guided tours, and outreach activities for children, youth, and families to experience SUP in a fun, accessible, and safe way.
Spectacular Technical Race at Praia do Ouro
On Saturday, the Technical Race took place on a course designed around a natural breakwater that acted as a grandstand, allowing spectators to follow the action just a few meters away from the athletes. The format —fast, visual, and highly accessible, a hallmark of the ESL— delivered exciting, quick heats suitable for all categories, from Under-8 to Grandmaster.
Weather conditions were ideal: slightly cloudy skies, no wind, and flat water, creating perfect conditions for smooth races and a very high competitive level.
A demanding Marathon to close the weekend
On Sunday, the SUP Marathon unfolded under very different conditions. Offshore wind, with intense and shifting gusts, added difficulty to the new course proposed by the organizers. Even so, the race maintained a high level of competitiveness and left very positive impressions among the athletes, who highlighted the quality of the route, the technical demands, and the excellent work on safety and course marking.
Strong public turnout and international success
Despite taking place at the end of a season packed with European and international events, participation reached nearly 100 registered athletes, consolidating Sesimbra as a strategic location for SUP in Europe and reinforcing the international projection of the league.
During the official awards ceremony, Overall titles for all disciplines were presented, along with the General Overall resulting from the combined results of the Technical Race and Long Distance. The ceremony also served to unveil, for the first time, the official calendar of the 2026 European SUP League, which will represent the second and definitive phase of consolidation for the circuit.
Acknowledgments and exemplary local collaboration
The European SUP League highlighted the excellent work carried out by the Sesimbra Surf Club and its team, as well as the technical support of the Sesimbra Nautical Club, whose expertise in maritime operations —especially course marking, support boats, and on-water safety— was key to ensuring the success of the event.
“It has been a flawless season finale. Sesimbra has shown remarkable organizational capacity and a huge passion for SUP. This event marks not only the end of our first league but also the beginning of a much more ambitious and unified European project for 2026,” stated the ESL organization.
About the European SUP League
The ESL is the first official European Stand Up Paddle circuit, sanctioned by the European Surf Federation. It was created with the aim of unifying events, promoting grassroots development, boosting high-performance competition, and building an inclusive and accessible competitive environment for all categories. The first edition in 2025 laid the foundations for a project that will continue to expand in 2026.